Hearing loss decisions — 2006

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing at the RO. The issues of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss and bronchitis are also pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied the reopening of the claim for tinnitus.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were not substantiated by evidence of a verified in-service stressor or other connection to service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The RO found that the current evaluations adequately reflected the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's right hand disability of the fourth metacarpophalangeal joint, finding that it was caused by an in-service injury. However, service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right sternoclavicular dislocation with deformity warrants a rating of 20 percent, effective from the date of the claim. The other issues were either denied or not addressed due to lack of merit.

The Board found that the veteran currently does not have a hearing loss disability related to service in either ear for VA compensation purposes and denied his claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a causal link between the veteran's current condition and his military service.,The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was also denied, as there is insufficient evidence to establish that the veteran's prostate cancer resulted from VA treatment in February 1999.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial increased (compensable) evaluation for bilateral hearing loss with bilateral nerve damage, finding that his current level of hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, headaches, and bilateral hearing loss. The claim for increased evaluation of right knee disability was also denied. No new evidence has been submitted to reopen any previously denied claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient financial information provided by the appellant, which is necessary for determining her eligibility for death pension benefits. The issues of service connection for cause of the veteran's death and an increased rating for service-connected left ear hearing loss on an accrued basis have been referred to the RO.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee disability is appropriately evaluated as 10 percent disabling under Diagnostic Code 5003, and his bilateral hearing loss has not met or approximated criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his satisfaction with the decision regarding his appeals.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not etiologically related to his service, thus denying his claims for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss and perforation of the tympanic membrane, right ear have not resulted in a compensable evaluation at any time since the effective date of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD, skin cancer (including Bowen's disease of the penis and probable squamous cell carcinoma of the left hand), and lupus with disorders of the chest, back, legs, and feet due to exposure to Agent Orange. The claims for increased rating for diabetes mellitus, service connection for hypertension, and service connection for an eye disorder are denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an eye disorder, hearing loss disability, and tinnitus. The decision also found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for an eye disorder.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and review the case further.